Guest Contributors

By Diane Harrison, Panegyric Marketing -- Generally speaking, the most important resource of a hedge fund is its people. Hedge fund managers are leaving alpha on the table by not maximizing their human capital.

By James Bibbings, Turnkey Trading Partners -- I am routinely asked about the advantages and disadvantages of starting a Commodity Trading Advisor as opposed to a Commodity Pool Operator. This is a great question and one that all money managers interested in handling forex or commodity managed accounts should consider.

Edward H. Dougherty, Deloitte Tax LLP -- On March 18, 2010, new information reporting rules were adopted which will significantly increase the compliance burden for managers of non-U.S. hedge and private equity funds. Indeed, in many cases these funds have not been subject to U.S. tax reporting by virtue of their offshore domicile.

Irene AldridgeBy Irene Aldridge, ABLE Alpha Trading -- Recently, the media has created a frenzy surrounding high-frequency trading (HFT). Various commentators have posed tough questions and they have pressured regulatory bodies around the world to respond. Many of the proposals to placate the critics of HFT have surfaced, yet few have been deemed satisfactory to all.

By Zachary G. Newman and Jonathan M. Proman -- U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin, the leading judicial authority on e-discovery, levied a hearty reminder earlier this year that e-discovery sanctions remain in vogue and are not going away. It is now clear that even unintentional conduct may result in six-figure sanctions; and your subjective good faith or lack of technological expertise may not be a defense.

By Michael D. Billy, Econophy Capital Advisors -- In order to preserve capital and profit from the turbulence generated by the global debt crisis, the application for succeeding has dramatically changed. Devaluing a currency is an accepted method to countering a country’s debt. The task is daunting under normal economic conditions and the consequences uncertain. But when a myriad of causational factors are wreaking havoc within global markets, how do you adjust your FX or any asset class risk management control(s) to ensure against losses?

S. Randy LampertBy S. Randy Lampert, founder, Lampert Debt Advisors -- The European crisis has the potential to derail our nascent recovery. After decrying our economy for its consumer-credit-driven fuel, Europe’s decades of personal income and spending—supported by social-welfare policies, funded by government deficits and financed with cheap sovereign debt—is coming to a halt with ramifications for our economy and capital markets.

Robert F. MancusoJust a few short months ago, it seemed that the worst of the financial crisis was behind us. Recent events, however, lay bare the possibility that an escape from financial collapse has been displaced by a new set of serial crises lurking beneath the surface of the seeming recovery. Robert F. Mancuso, managing partner at middle-market investment bank The Dellacorte Group, takes a look at what these potential risks are, and calls on Washington, Wall Street and Main Street to take notice.

By Jennifer Feldsher, Bracewell & Giuliani -- As markets have become more complicated, so too has the use of credit bidding. With private equity and hedge funds frequently replacing traditional bank lenders in the capital structure, credit bidding has become more strategic, with lenders being just as likely to use credit bidding as a tool to take ownership of a company as to ward off corporate raiders looking to buy on the cheap.

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Since the inception of Modern Trader, a core editorial theme has centered on the wisdom and power of crowds. Editorial emphasis has focused on companies and projects engaged in the collection and analysis of information.